Todd’s Movie Blog

I am simply amazed at who was left out of the Oscar Memorial Montage this year.  Namely Darren McGavin, one of the most respected actors in the biz.  When McGavin wasn’t included last year I thought that he death was just little too close to the cut off date.  But this year they not only didn’t give him a quick little still shot with his name, they used an unidentified clip of him from A Christmas Story (1983) as part of the tribute to the passing of Director Bob Clarke.  Yet they had time to pay tribute to several studio execs, and a couple of high profile agents.  Agents?  Yes that’s right, the Academy listed several agents in their tribute.   There is something screwed up here when Jack Valenti, who used to head up the MPAA gets a loving tribute, Lord knows why considering the dictatorial strangle hold he had on the industry with the screwed up contradictory rulings made by the ratings board, and someone as beloved as Don Knotts is no where to be seen.  It is great that Heath Ledger was included.  But why not Brad Renfro, when they both died within the same time period?  All I can say is don’t be surprised if Roy Scheider is no where to be found  during that segment next year.